Coin-controlled lock for vending devices



June 24 1924.

J. W. HUGHES com CONTROLLED LOOK FOR VENDING DEVICES Original Filed Oct was 24, 1924.

' III-ED men non me r Original application'flled October 28, 1817, Serial K0. 188,028. Patent We. 1,895,676. Divided and this application filed October 18, 1821. Serial No. 507,585.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. HUGHES, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Coin-Controlled Locks for Vendin Devices, of which the following is a speci cation. 4

This invention has for its object the construction of a coin-controlled lock adapted for a'vending device wherein one or .a plurality of coins may be required to put it into action to unlock the device for permitting access to the article to be vended.

A further object of my invention is to provide, for an automatic vending device, a coin-controlled lock having adjusting means which make it possible to readily change the number of coins necessary to be deposited to insure operation, whereby the lock may be set to operate by the deposit of one or more coins to suit the vended.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will be more fully understood from the description hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel construction of coin-controlled lock for vending devices, as hereinafter more fully described and defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2, illustrating the general construction of my improved coin-controlled lock, and also having the electric circuits controlled b the coins shown in diagrammatic form; ig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and with the electrical means for releasing the coins diagrammatically illustrated; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of my improved coin-controlled lock taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

The vending device may be of any suitable price of the article being construction and for this reason no specific description of it is shown. A suitable type of vending device, with which my improved coin-controlled lock may be used, is set out in Letters Patent Number 1,395,676, dated November 1, 1921, and issued upon an a plication Serial Number 198,028, and file October 23, 1917, of which this applicationis a division, but my improved com-controlled lock may be employed notonly with a vending machine of the character there shown, but may be combined with any machine or apparatus which is required to be put into operation by the deposition of one or more coins in a coin-controlled locking device.

The coin-controlled electrically operated lock releasing means consists of batte or other source of electric potential 16 v hich operates an electro-magnet 17 through a circuit comprised of wires 21 and 22 the coin supporting armature 12, plug switch 19, the metal pins 4, 5, 6 and 7 as the case may be, wire 20* and the metal coins 21' themselves. It will be noted thatthe plug switch 19 has a pluralit of segments 4, 5, 6 and 7, respective y connected to the metal pins 4, 5, 6 and 7. The object of this is to provide a means, whereby a varying predetermined number of coins will be required to close the electric circuit before the vending means will be released. For instance, with the plug 19 inserted at 7 one coin will be required, at 6 two coins, at 4 three coins, and at 5 four coins. If coins of smaller diameter than the required denomination be inserted in the coin slot 14, they will roll through and out from the openings 8, 9, 10 and 11, and be returned to the would-be purchaser. The metal pins 4, 5, 6 and 7 are mounted, in a block 3 of suitable insulating material, such as hard rubber which is surrounded by a metal casing 2. It will be noted that the front of the coin slot 14 is covered by glass so that the inserted coins are exposed in full view when in circuit controlling position.

To release the coins, an electro-magnet 22 is provided, which, when energized, serves to attract the armature 12, pivoted at 13, against the action of the spring 23. The excitation of this magnet may be effected by the movement of the lever 27 when manually operated (to open a suitable cover for permitting filling of the case, for example), by the momentary contacting of the said lever 27 with a contact 26. .This completes a circuit from the source of electric potential 24 through the magnet 22.

In operation, the would-be purchaser insorts the proper coin or coins in the coin slot 14. The coins complete the electric circuit through the magnet 17 which operates the locking armature 18 to unlock reciprocaw ble part 18 of the vending device, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit it to be moved. The attendant receive notification in some suitable manner that the vending device is empty (which is not the subject of this application) 2 and throws the lever27 to a position where the circuit through contact 26 is closed and the coins are released by armature 12 and as allowed to fall into a suitable coin receiving rece tacle. When the cabinet (not shown) is refil ed, the lever 27 is moved back-1n the direction of the arrows, placing the device in operative condition once more to be controlled by the coin-controlling means.

Y lit will be apparent that my improved coin-controlled lock, as above'desom ed, 1s

simple in construction, and it allows the price of the vended article to be varied with- 115 out necessitating any complicated changes 2 the attendant.

It will be observed that the chute or raceway. 14 through which the coins pass 1s formed in the insulating material 3 and does not control the circuits leading to the magnet 17 except when they rest in contact with the metal pins 4, 5, 6 and 7, and upon the inclined upper surface of the retaining armature 12; and in respect to the former, this contact is the-better insured by the abutment pins 15 in the path of the coins which force them over in contact with the aforesaid contact pins 4, 5 and 6. I

The inclined armature surface forces the lower coin against the contact in 7. lin

3 this way the coins take a somew at zig-zag path and pile upon each other, the lowermost coin resting upon the inclined surface of the retaining armature 12. When the armature is operated by the magnet 22,

an as before explained, all of the coins pass down the chute into the receiving receptacle (not ShOWIjI}. The minor details of this coin-contro ing lock are capable of modification and this may be done, so long as the general principle of using the coins in stacked relation, for controlling the energizing circuit, is maintained. The simplicity ofthe means for changing the num er of coins required to operate the magnetically so 0 erated lock, is an important feature of t e invention. The obliqluity of the top of the armature 12 is not on y to hold the coin against the contact 7, but also to cause an undesirable coin to be projected laterally. to from the coin chute, as indicated in dotted lines.

It will now be apparent that T have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumereo ated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while if have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which is best suited to give satisfactory and as reliable results in practieadt is to be underineaace stood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Havin now described my invention, what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A coin-controlled lock for a vending machine, comprising a lock, combined with a coin controlled means for-operating the lock consisting pf a magnet-t0 operate the look, a source of electric energy, a coin chute having a series of contacts inits length with respect to which the several coins abut while restin in contact with each other, a general circuit including the source of energy, the magnet and the several contacts of the chute, and a plu switch device for putting one or more of t e contacts into circuit and cuttin 0d the remainder from the circuit, where y the magnet may be energized upon the deposition of one or more coins in the chute as predetermined by the plug switch.

2. The invention according to claim 1, further combined with an electro-magnetically operated means for retaining the coins in the chute, and manually operable circuit controlling means for insuring the energizing of the coin retaining means to automatically release and discharge the coins after the lock has been actuated.

3. A coin-controlled lock for a vendin machine, comprising a look, combined with an electro-magnetically operated lock releasing means, a coin chute in which the coins rest one upon the other in series, a retaining means for holding the coins in the chute, a plurality of circuit contacts in the chute with which the respective coins contact when positioned in the chute, a source of electrical energy, a circuit including the source of energy and the elctro-magnetically operated lock releasing means, adjustable means for including in the circuit one or more of the series of contacts in the chute so as to require one or more coins to close the circuit as predetermined, and means for releasing the coins from the chute.

d. A coin-controlling lock for vending machine, comprising a magnet to operate the look, a source of electric energy, a main circuit including the source of ener and the magnet, a vertical coin chute of insulating material, a movable retaining means for temporarily holding the coins in the chute in series relation one upon the other, contact pins in the chute arranged alternately upon the op osite sides against which the res ective colns rest, separate circuits from eac contact pin, and a switch device for putting either of the circuits into series with thelmain circuit, whereby one or more coins .may be required to close the circuit for operating the magnet.

5, A. coin-controlled lock for vending mallld tilt) chines, comprising a magnet to operate the look, a source of electric energy, a main circuit including the source of ener and the magnet, a vertical coin chute of insulating material having lateral openings of slightly less size than the thickness and diameter of the coins required said openings arranged alternately on opposite sides of the chute in staggered relation, a manually controlled movable retaining means for temporarily holding the coins 1n the chute in series relation one upon the other, contact pins in the upon opposite chute arranged alternate openings against sides and above the lateral which the respective coins cuits from each contact pin, an a switch device for putting one or more of the said circuits in series with the main circuit, whereby one or more coins may be required to close the circuit for operating magnet.

In testimony of which invent-ion, I hereunto set my hand. I

JAMES W. HUGHES.

rest, se arate cir- 15 operating the lock 20 

